Ecology in Context: Research Strategies and Applications for Undergraduates

生态系统研究所的本科生研究体验（IES-REU）项目让学生沉浸在一个高度互动的、以研究为导向的环境中，并培养他们对环境的理解以及生态研究的实践。预期结果是：(1)学生培养优秀的科学处理技能。(2)学生在科学和社会的背景下获得广泛的生态学视角，以解决现实世界的问题。(3)学生在生态学的几个分支方面有很强的背景。(4)学生更有能力选择和从事生态方面的职业。(5)该项目通过为不同群体的学生提供高质量的培训，为生态学领域做出贡献。(6)我们传播一个有充分文件记录和评估的学生培训模式。1988-1999年项目的114名参与者中，少数民族占32%，女性占66%；目前，超过86%的毕业生正在读研或从事科学工作。2000-2002年项目将以我们过去项目的优势为基础，每年夏天将有10名学生到IES进行为期12周的项目，其中8名学生获得美国国家科学基金会的资助，2名学生获得安德鲁·w·梅隆基金会的资助。该计划有三个组成部分：(1)学生研究项目-与一位导师科学家密切合作，每位学生描述一个研究问题和相关假设，开发和实施该项目，分析数据，在正式的研究研讨会上进行口头报告，并为IES不定期出版物写一篇论文。(2)本科生的研究策略-工作坊提供研究所需工具的明确训练，并促进学生反思。(3)环境研究——讨论、案例研究和研讨会拓宽学生对各种环境和科学应用的视角，包括全天的生态学机会论坛，让学生接触到现代世界中广泛的科学职业和生态学应用。

ABSTRACT Berkowitz Proposal DBI- 9988029The Institute of Ecosystem Studies' Research Experiences for Undergraduates (IES-REU) program immerses students in a highly interactive, research oriented environment, and fosters an understanding of the contexts along with the practices of ecological research. Anticipated outcomes are: (1) Students develop excellent science process skills. (2) Students acquire broad perspectives on ecology in the context of both science and society to address real-world problems. (3) Students develop a strong background in several branches of ecology. (4) Students are better equipped to choose and pursue a career in ecology. (5) The program contributes to the field of ecology by providing quality training for a diverse group of students. (6) We disseminate a well documented and evaluated model for student training. The 114 participants in our 1988-1999 programs included 32% minorities and 66 % women; over 86 % of those who have graduated currently are in graduate school or are working in science. The 2000-2002 program builds on the strengths of our past program and will bring 10 students to IES for a twelve-week program each summer, 8 with NSF funds and 2 with funds from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The program has three components: (1)Student Research Projects - working closely with a mentor scientist, each student delineates a research question and associated hypotheses, develops and implements the project, analyzes data, gives an oral presentation in a formal Research Symposium and writes a paper for an IES Occasional Publication. (2) Research Strategies for the undergraduate - workshops give explicit training in the tools essential for research and foster student reflection. (3) Research in Context - discussions, case studies, and seminars broaden students' perspectives on the various contexts and applications of science, including a full-day Forum on Opportunities in Ecology that exposes students to a broad range of careers in science and applications of ecology in the modern world.